US cities with most identifiable/unique/robust local Black culture (tiered) (economy, state)

[upperechelon]

Originally Posted by the resident09

This thread is about cities with the most unique and identifiable keyword "LOCAL" Black cultures. Not which cities rappers have influenced mainstream America the most. That's people's problem here.

Not much stands out from a Philly, Jersey or Boston Black person as opposed to NYC. Same with many cities in the Sunbelt. NOLA stands out. DC has ALWAYS stood out. Blacks in the Bay Area stand out more than Philly.

This is ignorant. The accents change drastically from Boston to NYC to NJ to Philly. If anything, the South has way more continuity stylistically. Only NOLA sticks out. To my ear, I don't really hear too much of a difference between a DC and ATL dude. It's both country to me. The ethnic whites on the east coast all have somewhat an influence on our styles which makes us stand out to the rest of country which is mainly southern-influenced.

And thank you for waving the white flag and admitting this is more about uniqueness than being identifiable/popular. Y'll are not known like THAT outside the black professional circles.

[upperechelon]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Dudes from Connecticut would like to have a word, lol. I just found out about this on Twitter.

Nah, I'll be damned lmao. They got a legit claim?

[the resident09]

Originally Posted by upperechelon

This is ignorant. The accents change drastically from Boston to NYC to NJ to Philly. If anything, the South has way more continuity stylistically. Only, NOLA sticks out. To my ear, I don't really hear too much of a difference between a DC and ATL dude. It's both country to me. The ethnic whites on the east coast all have somewhat an influence on our styles which makes us stand out to the rest of country which is mainly southern-influenced.

And thank you for waving the white flag and admitting this is more about uniqueness than being identifiable/popular. Y'll are not known like THAT outside the black professional circles.

Lol I'm from closer to Philly, Jersey, than you are and NYC about the same distance. You're talking over your own points. All Jersey, NYC, Boston etc. sound the same to someone from outside of their region. Philly tries to sound like them, but are caught in the mix. I know them just as well. Their accent is not more "unique" than anywhere. It all blends in with Baltimore and Jersey. DC accent is the most unique accent from the mid-Atlantic up. You are disqualifying yourself with every new post you make here.

You still have no answers for to my legitimate questions. All you did was name 2 slang words, and battle rappers. SMDH. In the 2000's and late 90's you couldn't differentiate a Jersey, NYC, or Philly bol rocking Pelle Pelle with Girbaud jeans and Timbs for nothing. Meanwhile a cat from DC would be instantly identifiable. The trend setters of the East Coast.

"

Originally Posted by the resident09

Do you know about DDTP, Madness, Shooters, Alldaz, and Solbiato? What about "The Museum"? Ask Steph Curry about that one. DMV culture is too insular man, it's not just what yall hear about on a rap song. The city doesn't idolize rappers, nor gangs. DMX got booed off stage here in his prime. There's a local cache that comes with the mentality of Black DC especially going back in prior decades that doesn't get understood by outsiders.

What more has Chicago or Philly provide to Black culture than the examples you mentioned? What trends have they set that DC has not? What makes their accents more unique? How are the clothes they wear that unique or identifiable? How are their foods in the "Black" community more special?

The thread is not about ethnic Whites, it's about local Black culture uniqueness.

[908Boi]

Originally Posted by upperechelon

Nah I can't let this slide lol. Whether it's Motown to Eminem to Dilla to Big Sean to Scam Rap. Detroit is very identifiable to the rest of black America. Not to mention the influence they have in black fashion (carhartts, Cartiers, Pelle jackets) No way DC or Detroit are in the same predicament. I literally see/hear Detroit influence on a daily basis.

Bro, you just admitted in an earlier post, that your from Jerz, and that when you were growing up the "East Coast" in your mind was NY, NJ, and Philly. You pretty much indicated that DC was irrelevant.

And again if black DC natives are as influential as they claim, they should have the ability to make GoGo stick nationally. FOH with all these cop-outs for DC. Y'll have no problem shading Boston for being irrelevant and let all these cities with significant black populations get away with underperforming.

Look all I said is Detroit underwhelms in hip hop considering its large black population and accomplishments in other genres.

I'm not "shading" Boston nor did I say DC was irrelevant. In any case, there's more to black culture than hip hop. Plus, to say the DMV is "underperforming" with regard to its black population is laughable. Having a lot of rappers doesn't indicate anything about how the black community in a particular area is doing/contributing.

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Detroit actually is more influential in terms of Gospel music (the Clark Sisters, Karen Clark-Sheard, Fred Hammond, J. Moss, Kierra Sheard, the Winans, etc.).

It had some other Hip-Hop artists like Esham, Slum Village and Elzhi. Dwele was/is a big Soul artist from there.

Then, remember that Techno was started by black DJ's there as well.

So, Detroit has had a lot more of a musical influence than given credit on here.

Absolutely. I think Detroit is just lacking in hip hop exports. Detroit is a beast in other genres. Detroit has/had a huge black middle/upper class at one point so I wonder if that plays a role in Detroit and DC/Maryland's lack of hip hop artists historically. Food for thought.

[boreatwork]

Speaking of going to school I went to Towson and I remember the professor saying why does everyone from PG county sit together lol. There's really no other way he would have known that aside from his own historical observations or us kind of sharing the same identity which at the time would have been North Face jacket, foamposites and leaned way back in the seat.

[BostonBornMassMade]

The Boston black accent is not really different than NYC/Jersey. Like it but it’s really not much and many black people in those area don’t have a discernible accent IMO. Certainly not enough for outsiders to notice. It’s not ignorant to say that

[908Boi]

Philly is kind of different accent wise than the Boston/NYC/NJ IMO. I assume CT and RI have similar accents too. I personally think NYC is distinct. But the differences are probably not noticeable to anyone not from there.

[MDfinest]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

The Boston black accent is not really different than NYC/Jersey. Like it but it’s really not much and many black people in those area don’t have a discernible accent IMO. Certainly not enough for outsiders to notice. It’s not ignorant to say that

No lie as an outsider, I would assume y'all sound like New Yorkers/North NJ'ers. When I hear Boston, I hear those two regions instantly unless I get told in advance. I know there are a few slang words you guys have that black NY/North NJ'ers don't have. Nothing wrong with that, though. I just think Boston and NYC are like brothers in that sense.

Originally Posted by 908Boi

Look all I said is Detroit underwhelms in hip hop considering its large black population and accomplishments in other genres.

I'm not "shading" Boston nor did I say DC was irrelevant. In any case, there's more to black culture than hip hop. Plus, to say the DMV is "underperforming" with regard to its black population is laughable. Having a lot of rappers doesn't indicate anything about how the black community in a particular area is doing.


Absolutely. I think Detroit is just lacking in hip hop exports. Detroit is a beast in other genres. Detroit has/had a huge black middle/upper class at one point so I wonder if that plays a role in Detroit and DC/Maryland's lack of hip hop artists historically. Food for thought.

I think that's what it is. Go-go was always king in black DC until the mid-2010s including in parts of PG County, Alexandria VA, parts of Prince Williams County, and inner East MoCo.

I think among those under 31-32 (including myself), local rap & down south rappers are popular right now.

[upperechelon]

How is the Black Philly similar to Black NYC, when the Philly accent is rhotic in vs. the non-rhoticity of NYC. I can hear the argument for Boston and NYC since both accents are non-rhotic, but I can still tell the difference. Black NJ to me is more of a standard/default east coast accent with nothing really distinctive.

I brought up ethnic whites because their speech patterns have an influence on Black NYC, Philly, NJ, and Boston. DC has none, so y'll style is really just upper south(NC,VA) with local DC slang. If you watch an old Michael Jordan interview before he cleaned up his accent, he does that thing that Marylanders do with the "u" sound as well. Again bro, don't spin me, I'm very in tune with y'll culture due to my fam down there. Unique, but no influence at all.

[908Boi]

Originally Posted by MDfinest

No lie as an outsider, I would assume y'all sound like New Yorkers/North NJ'ers. When I hear Boston, I hear those two regions instantly unless I get told in advance. I know there are a few slang words you guys have that black NY/North NJ'ers don't have. Nothing wrong with that, though. I just think Boston and NYC are like brothers in that sense.



I think that's what it is. Go-go was always king in black DC until the mid-2010s including in parts of PG County, Alexandria VA, parts of Prince Williams County, and inner East MoCo.

I think among those under 31-32 (including myself), local rap & down south rappers are popular right now.

Yeah one of the first things I noticed moving down here was most of the popular rap music is from down south, specifically Atlanta. Local rappers barely get radio play. NYC and Philly rap (what we listen to in NJ) was non existent until those songs popped on a national level.